As the power needs of the workplace burgeon, there is an increased need to provide a means of providing a visually attractive work station, whereby the various electrical, telephone, computer, and other necessary electrical wires may be kept out of the employees' way, and yet remain accessible if the need arises. Various approaches to wire management include running the wires from the floor through the pedestal to the work surface as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,256 to Holper. An alternative approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,635,174 to Ball.
The approach to wire management taken by Holper and Ball provides a visually attractive and uncluttered work station provided the arrangement of equipment is such that wires do not traverse the upper surface of the work station. An alternative approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,629 to Propst, whereby the patentee provides a slot in the surface of the work station and a wire raceway within the slot for the laying of wires. The unsightly wires are hidden by means of a hinged cover. Accordingly, in order to avoid the complex structure such as that taught by Propst and others, wires are run on the underside of the work surface and are brought to the work surface through openings in the work surface.
In order to prevent the wires from sagging on the underside of the work surface and interfering with operations at the work station, various clip means may be employed. However, because the position of the equipment on the desk top frequently changes, there is a need to adjust the location of the wire management clips on the underside of the work surface. Accordingly, the wire management clip must be readily removable yet retain its gripping ability when its location is changed. The wire management clip must also be capable of attachment to the underside of the work surface readily without the need for tools. In addition, in order not to mar the appearance of the work station, the anchoring means of the clips must not protrude above the work surface.
While there are numerous prior art fasteners that would be suitable for use in wire management roles, for various reasons, these clips are unsatisfactory in today's workplace. For example, the fasteners disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,318,853 to Hall; U.S. Pat. No. 2,666,245 to Fernberg; U.S. Pat. No. 3,015,869 to Rapata; U.S. Pat. No. 3,259,347 to Vates; U.S. Pat. No. 3,529,795 to Van Niel; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,879 to Kojima; are all unsatisfactory as they each operate only where they may pass completely through the work surface and rely on flanges that would expand over the work surface and prevent removal of the fastener. Fasteners of the type disclosed in these patents mar the work surface and are accordingly not acceptable.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a wire management clip that may be secured in an opening in the underside of the work station surface that does not require that the opening extend from the bottom surface through the work station to the top surface.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a wire management clip that may be readily removed without the use of tools to adjust the placement of wires on the underside of the work surface.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a wire management clip that retains its gripping ability after long use and does not suffer from fatigue that would cause the clip to loosen and fall from place.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a rotatable wire management clip that gives the clip maximum flexibility for holding wires.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a wire management clip that will be able to retain wires of varying diameter.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a wire management clip that may be secured to an opening in a wall surface or spine of an office system to hold wires.
The other objects and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the further disclosure of the invention made hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.